Compare towns
Bridgewater vs Carroll vs Braintree
Cost, people, housing, commute and schools, side by side, each benchmarked against the U.S..
What stands out worked out from the figures below
Bridgewater has the most kids (12.8% under 18).
Carroll has grown the fastest since 2010 (+7.5%).
Braintree has the most people working from home (19%).
What matters to you?
Pick a few. We’ll pull those rows to the top and mark which town comes out ahead on each. There’s no overall score: what matters is up to you.
| Measure | Bridgewater | Carroll | Braintree |
|---|---|---|---|
| Your priorities | |||
| People | |||
| Population | 980 |
659Lowest |
1,026Highest |
| Growth since 20102010 → 2020 census | -3.5%Lowest U.S.: +7.4% |
+7.5%Highest U.S.: +7.4% |
-3.1% U.S.: +7.4% |
| Median age | 57.1±8Lowest 47% above U.S. |
62.4±4.8Highest 60% above U.S. |
58.4±2.4 50% above U.S. |
| Carroll and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Kids under 18 | 12.8%±5.8Highest U.S.: 22% |
7%±4.5Lowest U.S.: 22% |
12.3%±3.2 U.S.: 22% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Age 65+ | 30.2%±0.7Lowest U.S.: 17.2% |
39.5%±4.4Highest U.S.: 17.2% |
33.2%±3.4 U.S.: 17.2% |
| Carroll and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Bachelor’s degree+adults 25+ | 40.3%Highest U.S.: 35.7% |
35.2% U.S.: 35.7% |
30.9%Lowest U.S.: 35.7% |
| Enrolled in collegeshare of residents | 5.8%±3.8Highest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.2Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
1.8%±1.3Lowest U.S.: 6.4% |
| Bridgewater and Carroll are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Cost of living | |||
| Household incomemedian | $70,272±$3k 13% below U.S. |
$64,821±$26kLowest 20% below U.S. |
$79,803±$5kHighest about the U.S. average |
| Home valuemedian, owner-occupied | $218,300±$55k 34% below U.S. |
$261,500±$42kHighest 21% below U.S. |
$217,700±$28kLowest 35% below U.S. |
| Carroll and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Rentmedian gross, monthly | $850±$778 40% below U.S. |
$1,078±$241Highest 24% below U.S. |
$840±$405Lowest 41% below U.S. |
| Carroll and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Property taxmedian, yearly | $3,418 10% above U.S. |
$3,356Lowest 8% above U.S. |
$3,908Highest 25% above U.S. |
| Renters paying 30%+of income on rent | 59.7%±39.1Highest U.S.: 51.1% |
28%±47.5Lowest U.S.: 51.1% |
43.4%±29.4 U.S.: 51.1% |
| Bridgewater and Braintree are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Below poverty line | 14.8%Highest U.S.: 12.5% |
5.5%Lowest U.S.: 12.5% |
11.1% U.S.: 12.5% |
| Housing | |||
| Homeownersof occupied homes | 85.4% U.S.: 65.2% |
91.6%Highest U.S.: 65.2% |
81%Lowest U.S.: 65.2% |
| Typical home builtmedian year | 1976Lowest 4 yrs older than U.S. |
1984Highest 4 yrs newer than U.S. |
1979 1 yr older than U.S. |
| Getting to work | |||
| Average commuteone way | 24 min 9% below U.S. |
22 minLowest 18% below U.S. |
26 minHighest about the U.S. average |
| Work from home | 10.5%±6.6 U.S.: 15.1% |
4.6%±3.2Lowest U.S.: 15.1% |
19%±7.2Highest U.S.: 15.1% |
| Braintree and Bridgewater are within the Census margin of error here, so we can’t say which is really higher. | |||
| Schools | |||
| School district | — | — | Orange Southwest Unified Union School District #59 |
| High school in town | — | — | None in town |
| On TownTapestry | |||
| Old photos in History | None yet | None yet | None yet |
U.S. average · Sources: U.S. Census Bureau, American Community Survey 5-year estimates 2020–2024; 2010 & 2020 decennial census; NCES Common Core of Data. “±” is the Census margin of error. Property tax is top-coded by the Census at $10,000+. School rank compares math and reading proficiency against the state average.